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Description
See any errors? Let us know!Edith Murray: The Cleveland Black Widow
Introduction
Edith Murray, also known as the Cleveland Black Widow, was an American woman suspected of fatally poisoning three of her husbands and two of her children for insurance money. Her crimes spanned from 1903 to 1921, and she was later arrested in connection to these deaths in April 1922, but released due to a lack of evidence. She died in 1969.Suspicious Deaths
- 1903: Edith Murray's two daughters died after consuming poisonous tablets left unguarded in their Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania home. No one was arrested for the deaths, as they were assumed to be accidental.
- 1919: Edith Murray's third husband, who had a $1,200 insurance policy, died a week after the policy went into effect. He was described as being in good health before his sudden death.
- May 1919: Edith Murray's fourth husband, a wealthy man, died shortly after their wedding. She collected $5,000 in life insurance from his death.
- 1921: Edith Murray's fifth husband, John Joseph Murray, died a few weeks after she allegedly told her friend that she "would like to get rid of him" and "give him arsenic." Trace amounts of arsenic were found in his stomach during an autopsy, but she was not arrested due to the physician's claim that he prescribed medicine containing arsenic.
Investigation
After the death of her fourth husband, local police became suspicious of Edith Murray. An autopsy was performed on her late husband, revealing trace amounts of arsenic in his stomach. However, the man's physician claimed he prescribed medicine containing arsenic, so Murray was not arrested. Despite the suspicions, she continued to live a lavish lifestyle, moving into an expensive apartment and buying a new car. ...Read MoreVictims
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Confirmed Victims: (0)
Suspected Victims: John Joseph Murray , Date of Death: 1922 Two Daughters , Date of Death: 1903 Third Husband , Date of Death: 1919 Fourth Husband , Date of Death: 1919-05
Suspected Victims:
Links to Additional Sources (3)
See any mistakes? Let us know!Killer's Details
Edith
Murray
Pennsylvania, United States
1969 Pennsylvania, United States
Female
White
The Cleveland Black Widow
N/A
Released due to lack of evidence.
0 - 5
1903 - 1922
Pennsylvania (suspected), Ohio (suspected)
Pittsburgh (PA), Cleveland (OH)
07/03/2025










